Joyce, Rhonda, and I have very exciting news to share with the coming of 2015. We will be welcoming a new coworker to the Carroll County Cooperative Extension Service.

On behalf of the University of Kentucky and our Carroll County Cooperative Extension Service, I would like to announce that Ann Schultz will be joining us as our new Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences. Ann’s first day is Monday, Jan. 5.

As I sit and think about 2014 coming to an end, I first think of all the positives in my life. The first being good health. Good health is something that we rarely appreciate, but the moment we get sick, we would give anything to regain good health.

I don’t know how it works at your house, but usually at ours by the day after Christmas we have had our fill of Christmas songs, decorations and wrapping paper. We get ‘wore out’ on Christmas. I think it’s due to sensory overload.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is one of my all-time favorite movies to watch during the holiday season.

Every scene is quote-worthy and brings about big laughs.

One scene in particular stands out to me:

Clark Griswold has dragged his son, Russ, outside with him to start the big task of putting lights on the house. Russ, who is not excited about helping out with this task at all, complains that his dad overdoes things.

“And there were in the same country children keeping watch over their stockings by the fireplace. And lo! And was said unto them Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that is for all people who can afford them.”

We talk about the birth of the little baby Jesus. We talk about him being born eight miles outside Jerusalem, in the town of Bethlehem.

We talk about him lying in a manger, no crib for a bed. But when we fail to talk about his deity, when we fail to acknowledge that he is God, not only, do we miss the true meaning of Christmas, we also miss the very foundation of Christianity.